THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROME — Inter Milan lost some of its Serie A lead with a 0-0 draw at Udinese on Sunday.
In other action, AC Milan’s 18-year-old striker Alexandre Pato scored two goals in a 2-0 win over Genoa while David Trezeguet scored his league-leading 14th and 15th goals and Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero also found the net in a 3-1 win over 10-man Livorno.
Inter midfielder Cesar picked up two yellow cards in 30 seconds and was sent off in the 21st minute at the Friuli stadium.
Inter still had the better chances, but Esteban Cambiasso, Julio Ricardo Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic each missed good opportunities.
"You couldn’t tell that Inter was a man down," Udinese coach Pasquale Marino said. "They played a great game and created a lot of chances.
"They’re a great team and deserve to be in first place."
Udinese also held Inter to draws the last three times they played.
Still, Inter has not lost in the league since playing AS Roma in April last year, a streak of 20 wins and six draws.
Pato converted a header off a pass from Clarence Seedorf in the 69th at the San Siro. A minute later, Genoa goalkeeper Rubinho was ejected when he came out of his area and used his hands to stop Pato, who was heading for the goalmouth all alone.
The Brazilian added another goal in the 83rd, dribbling by Genoa’s reserve goalkeeper Alessio Scarpi and kicking into an empty net.
Pato also scored in his debut at the San Siro two weeks ago and Milan has now won two straight at home after going winless in its opening seven games at its own ground.
"Pato is doing what we expected," Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "He’s scored two goals in three games. He’s young and at times lacks instinct but he gets in position to shoot often."
Inter leads the league with 50 points. Roma, which beat 10-man Palermo on 1-0 Saturday, is second with 45 points, and Juventus is third with 40. Milan has 27 points.
In a Tuscan derby, Fiorentina beat Empoli 2-0 with late goals from Adrian Mutu and Giampaolo Pazzini.
Elsewhere, it was: Atalanta 2, Reggina 2; Cagliari 2, Napoli 1; Catania 0, Parma 0; and Torino 0, Lazio 0.
Trezeguet took a bouncing pass in the 30th and scored his first goal since before the holiday break with a shot from the centre of the area in Livorno. Del Piero then converted on a counterattack in the 49th.
Livorno midfielder Daniele De Vezze picked up his second yellow card in the 54th and Trezeguet added another goal in the 63rd off a lob pass from Del Piero.
Erjon Bogdani pulled one back for Livorno in the 79th.
Cambiasso was set up by Ibrahimovic in the 12th but missed a clear look at the target in Udine. Cruz had a chance in the 42nd but sent an angled shot wide.
Ibrahimovic had a goal disallowed for a foul in the 60th, then had a shot from 25 metres that nearly grazed the post five minutes later.
Milan was without Ronaldo, who is out again with a calf injury, but with Pato his absence was hardly felt.
Genoa has not won at Milan in 50 years.
Milan still has two games to make up from its trip to Japan for the Club World Cup in December, and club vice-president Adriano Galliani has issued an ultimatum for reaching fourth place.
"Milan must go to the Champions League," Galliani said. "It has the entire second half of the season to finish at least fourth."
Lazio acquired Rolando Bianchi from Manchester City this week and the forward’s debut with the Roman club lasted only five minutes. Bianchi came on in the 60th and immediately picked up two yellow cards. Both Lazio and Torino ended with 10 men.
In Sardinia, Marek Hamsik put Napoli ahead in the 58th before Cagliari struck back with injury-time goals from Alessandro Matri and Daniele Conti.
It was Cagliari’s first victory since Sept. 30, but still wasn’t good enough to boost the club out of last place.